Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman’s already sizable campaign war chest grew by more than $532,000 in the first quarter of this year as he prepares for battle with Democratic challenger Joe Miklosi in the 6th Congressional District.

The fundraising brings Coffman’s cash on hand to about $1.37 million, with about seven months before Election Day.

“He has a great cross-section of folks that care about Colorado and are supporting his re-election campaign,” said Coffman’s campaign manager, Chris Hansen.

Of Coffman’s first-quarter earnings, more than $154,000 came from special-interest political-action committees, while the bulk came from individual donors.

“Looking at voter registration and demographics, this should be a competitive race,” political analyst Floyd Ciruli said. “But then again, Miklosi has never run for office on the national level, and he’s raised meager amounts of money.”

In 2011’s last quarter, Miklosi raised $104,000.

Meinen said Coffman is going to need “every penny he can raise when he’s out there voting to turn Medicare into a voucher system.”

Coffman’s campaign manager pointed out that Miklosi has taken days off to attend Washington fundraisers. “Miklosi has taken time off from his current job in the state Capitol to campaign, so it’ll be interesting to see how much he raised,” Hansen said.

A native of Colorado, Kurtis Lee was a politics reporter for The Denver Post from February 2011 until July 2014. He graduated cum laude from Temple University in 2009 with a degree in journalism and political science. He previously worked as an online writer in Washington, D.C., for the PBS NewsHour.

More in Politics

The University of Colorado leadership is grappling with how to address a nationwide nosedive in the favorability of higher education — particularly, among conservatives — as CU’s own representatives and decision-makers disagree on what’s behind the downturn.

As much of the country was gripped Wednesday by horrific images from the mass shooting at a Florida high school, two dozen senior Trump administration officials worked frantically into the night to thwart what they considered a different national security threat.

Mitt Romney’s extensive resume has many Republicans looking to him to take on a role in the Senate as a political and moral counterweight to a president many in the GOP see as divisive and undignified.